Sunday, June 12, 2016, 50 innocent men and women were killed in a mass shooting outside of the popular Orlando gay bar and club the Pulse. In a brutal, senseless act of mass violence, Omar Mateen shot into the crowd and committed the deadliest mass shooting in US history.
As a Christian, I am already anxiously waiting the message I know will be spread those who claim to share the same faith as me, and I am already angered at the consequences. The message will be this: "The victims were killed because their sexual orientation and activity was against the will of God. Furthermore, if they had not been at a club in the first place, this would not have happened. This shooting is God's judgment on the sin of homosexuality taking over our nation."
This shooting is not the fault of the victims.
This shooting is not the fault of the LGBTQ+ community.
This shooting is the fault of a crazed man, full of prejudice and hate, who decided to violently act out against innocents because he did not agree with their lifestyle and wished to stop it. This shooting is terrorism, plain and simple.
As Christians, we cannot say that this shooting is a result of anyone's sexual choices. Whether or not you agree with the lifestyle of those killed or injured is irrelevant, what is relevant is that 50 men and women are no longer with us and countless friends and family members are mourning their loss. What is relevant is that a city is grieving, a state is grieving, our nation is grieving.
An entire community which goes beyond race, religion and nationality is grieving for those they have lost. People are confused and hurt, and in the face of such pain, we must show love. We have to band together, because people are people and we have lost much.
So to Christians, show the love you claim to profess. Even if you believe these people were sinners, stand behind them and love them, because Christ commanded us to love sinners. You are a sinner just as much as I, just as much as the next person, it is not your place to judge in the face of this extreme tragedy.
To the families and friends of the victims, and the LGBTQ+ community, we are so sorry for your loss. Those we have lost did not deserve their fate. Know that for any hate you may hear in the coming days and weeks, their are those of us behind you who disagree, who love you, who are praying for you everyday. You have done nothing to deserve this, just as the children in school shootings or the victims of 9/11 did nothing to deserve their fate.
